Forgiveness in Death
by cybertronianMelody
Summary: This inspired by BlackWolf219's Web of Shadows and my Spider Love story.  If you want to know what Tarantula looks like you need to read Spider Love first.  This is just a what if concept.


**Forgiveness in Death**

Tailgate could barely process what was going on, though it was easy to understand. When Arcee hadn't shown up at the rendezvous, he went out to look for her and had been ambushed by Decepticon drones.

They had tortured him for information he didn't have, but of course they didn't believe him. Then, it went from torture to hell when the spider showed up. Tailgate would've welcomed death if he could escape this agony.

Tailgate would eventually get his wish, even though he had no idea how long he had been there anymore. His body was worn out and his legs useless, so the drones dragged him down a hallway that was just as dark and dank as his cell.

He registered that he was hanging from the ceiling, and he thought he could hear voices, but he wasn't sure. He opened his optics just in time to see an equally worn out Arcee staring at him in horror. The spider's evil face was close to his.

"TAILGATE," he heard Arcee scream as he felt a pain worse than anything he had experienced here, and then fell into darkness.

Tailgate expected more pain and darkness, but instead found himself in a medical lab of some sort, and there was no pain what so ever.

"You look much better," a mech's voice from Tailgate's left spoke.

Tailgate jumped from the berth he had onlined on and drew his guns in the direction of the voice. There was a purple, green, and yellow mech standing in a doorway, and when Tailgate drew his guns, the mech put his hands up in surrender.

"Wow," he spoke in a sad hollow tone, "I figured you would want to kill me, but I thought you would at least wait until I explained things."

"What are you talking about," Tailgate demanded, "Who are you and why would I want to kill you?"

The mech smiled sadly, "Because it is my fault that you died."

Tailgate was stunned silent, but his processor was screaming with questions then he remembered the spider's final blow.

Tailgate put his guns away and stood up straight. He just looked at the other mech and noticed the stranger details of his form. He had eight yellow optics, his body was shaped oddly, and when the mech turned to walk toward another part of the room, Tailgate saw spider legs on his back.

"You're like that spider bot," Tailgate yelled as he brought one gun back out.

"Correction, I'm the first originally spider bot, and unlike Airachnid, I was able to take what I called a beast mode. That is, instead of transforming into a vehicle, I transformed into a tarantula."

"I don't care about any of that. You admitted it earlier and this proves that you are partially to blame for my death because you built the demented spider that killed me!"

"Has it occurred to you yet that since you are dead, me being here with you means I'm dead too? And I didn't build Airachnid, she took my spider prints and upgraded herself. She was once a beautiful neutral femme."

"She was a normal femme? What made her go 'Con and want to alter herself like that?"

"My death."

Tailgate was afraid to ask the next question, but…

"How did you die?"

The spider mech sat down on desk and sighed, "I practiced my right to choose. If you stop and think about it, I'm sure you know who I am."

"Were you the med bot that was murdered? Your death caused several outraged Autobots and neutrals to go Decepticon."

"I am."

Tailgate was again shocked into to silence by this information and by the sight of the spider bot beginning to cry.

"I only wanted to help others," he sobbed, "But instead my death only caused more pain and suffering. And my beloved Lady Air became Airachnid, and thus your death is my fault."

"No, it's not," Tailgate whispered, "I'm sorry jumped to conclusions before. But despite the war continuing, you're a legend."

The spider mech choked on a sick sounding laugh, "A legend of death and destruction. My death caused your death, and now your partner, Arcee, will suffer for eons to come."

The spider mech had closed his optics because all of them were leaking energon tears that flowed down into the others. Tailgate felt the spider mech's guilt and sorrow.

"I'm sorry," the spider mech whispered, "I am so very sorry. Please forgive me."

Tailgate approached the spider mech and placed on hand on his trembling body.

"There's nothing to forgive, Tarantula."


End file.
